OPENING ACTIVITY: EXTREME SPEED SKATING CHALLENGE

OPENING ACTIVITY: EXTREME SPEED SKATING CHALLENGE Lesson 5 Purpose: This activity will engage the children s attention as they enter the room and will reinforce the Winter Extreme X-Factor games theme. Description: The children will compete in a timed speed skating relay, one team at a time. The teams will be timed to see who can complete the relay the fastest. Whichever team finishes the relay in the shortest amount of time is the winning team for that round. Materials Needed: For this activity you will need this Help Sheet, wax paper, cones (optional), and the Opening Activity media elements from the Lesson 5 MediaShout or ProPresenter File. Note: Play the Doors Open Music when the children begin to enter the room. To introduce this activity, say the following: 1. Let s get started! 2. We are going to play a timed relay game called Extreme Speed Skating Challenge. 3. We are going to pick three volunteers from one team at a time. 4. Each volunteer will stand on two pieces of wax paper, one for each foot. 5. The three of you will then get in a line and, one at a time, skate as fast as you can around your team. Note: If your teams are different sizes, you may want to have all of the teams go around the same team. This is where cones may be useful. Make sure that the relay route is the same for every team. Additionally, as you are timing the teams, keep the times to yourself and don t announce it after each team has gone. Instead, announce the winning team with the lowest time after every team has gone. This will prevent the children from giving up if they can see that their time is less than another team s time. 6. Your feet must always be on the wax paper skates. If you lose your skate, you have to go back and put your foot back on the wax paper before continuing. 7. When you have made it around your team, tag the next person in line and the game continues. 8. Once all three of the volunteers have completed their Extreme Speed Skating, we will stop the timer. 9. The other team(s) will then compete while being timed. 10. The team that completes the relay within the shortest amount of time will be the winner of that round. Note: If you are able to play multiple rounds, you could instead keep a running score of all of the team s times and, at the end, whichever team has the shortest amount of time will be the grand champion of that day s Opening Activity. 2016 Elevate

Note: Choose three volunteers from one team. For detailed instructions on how to do this activity, watch the Teacher/Co-Teacher Training Video. During the activity, say the following: 1. Are you ready? Kids, are you ready to cheer for your teammates? Okay! 2. Ready, Set, Go! Note: Play the Game Go Music. 3. Keep skating! 4. Kids, keep cheering. 5. Great job! 6. Now it s time for us to pick new volunteers from the next team and play again. Note: Reset the game with new wax paper for the children if necessary and continue playing this game with new volunteers until it is time to start your children s worship hour. After this activity, say the following: 1. Great job with that game! 2. Let s get ready for our countdown to Winter Extreme! 2016 Elevate

Lesson Goal: The children will learn that we should show mercy to others because Jesus showed mercy to us. Main Point: Disciples Of Jesus Show Mercy! Bible Lesson: The Unforgiving Debtor (Matthew 18:23-35) Bible Verse: Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12 (NLT) WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THESE ACTIVITIES? Extreme Speed Skating Challenge (Opening Activity) This activity will engage the children s attention as they enter the room and will reinforce the Winter Extreme X-Factor games theme. Skit And Bible Lesson (Large Group Activity) The Skit and Bible Lesson show the children that we should show mercy to others because Jesus showed mercy to us. Frozen T-shirt Challenge (Large Group Team Game) This activity will reinforce the Winter Extreme X-Factor games theme during Large Group time. Game Of Mercy (Small Group Activity) This activity will introduce the children to the concept of mercy. Act It Out (Small Group Activity) This activity will provide the children the opportunity to actively review the Bible Lesson. Bible Verse Jumble - Younger And Older Versions (Small Group Activity) This activity will get the children into their Bibles and help them review the Bible Verse. Clothed With Mercy (Small Group Activity) This activity will help the children understand how forgiveness and mercy work together. Connect The Dots (Small Group Activity) This activity is a visual way for the children to review the Bible Lesson. It Could Have Been Like This (Small Group Activity) This activity will give the children the chance to see what might have happened if different choices had been made in the Bible Lesson. Help Team Extreme (Review Activity) This activity is a strategic time to review and reinforce the content of the lesson. 2016 Elevate

LESSON 5: DISCIPLES OF JESUS SHOW MERCY! Single Teacher Digital Media Script WATCHING THE BIBLE LESSON AND SKIT ON VIDEO Purpose Statement: The children will learn that we should show mercy to others because Jesus showed mercy to us. Materials/Props Needed: Winter Extreme Lesson 5 MediaShout or ProPresenter File. Costume (Ski jacket or winter vest, gloves, scarf, and winter hat.) Props: LifeSavers Gummies or chocolate gold coins for Winter Extreme Medallions. Opening Activity Supplies: See the Help Sheet for a list of supplies. Team Game Supplies: See the Help Sheet for a list of supplies. Begin the Opening Activity. Lead the children through the Opening Activity Extreme Speed Skating, or another Large Group Activity to engage the children s attention as they enter the room. For a detailed example, watch the Winter Extreme L5 Teacher/Co- Teacher Training Video. Begin Large Group Time with the Countdown Video. [1] Teacher enters. Welcome back to the Winter Extreme X-Factor games! A winter extravaganza filled with games that are taken to the X-Treme! (makes Scooter s X-Treme sign with arms and hands) I learned that motion from Scooter of course! If there is anyone who is X-treme! (make X-Treme sign) it s him and Rock! They have given their X-treme! best (make X-Treme sign). (a bit sad) Even though today I think they are going to hear some bad news. (cheering up) But, more of that later. Right now I want us get up and give our X-treme best in singing this first song! Teacher leads the children in singing Everlasting. [2] Then play the Drumroll and the Winter Extreme Winner Song for the winning team and award them a Winter Extreme Medallion. [3] (CONT D) Great job everyone! That was X-treme! (makes X-Treme sign) First, let me go over our rules of the mountain! [4] Rule number one is [5] be respectful of authority and always do what they tell you to do. And rule number two is [6] be respectful of those around you - no talking, no pushing, no kicking, or saying mean things. #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 So today, we are talking about forgiveness, but we re going one step further than that. We are going to talk about mercy, too. #6 1 2016 Elevate

You may be asking What s the difference between forgiveness and mercy?. Well, imagine that you have a sister and she breaks one of your toys. Showing forgiveness only would be to tell her, I forgive you for breaking my toy and I m not mad at you. But as a consequence, I m not going to let you play with my toys anymore. However, showing mercy to your sister would be to say, I forgive you and I m not mad at you and if you want to play with one of my toys again, I ll let you. You see, being merciful means you are not making someone suffer through the consequences of their actions. But why should we show mercy? Especially when someone doesn t deserve it? Well, that s the whole point of showing mercy. No one really deserves mercy when they do wrong, they deserve to be punished. But God shows us mercy, so we need to show each other mercy too. Which leads me to a great idea for a Main Point...If we want to be true disciples of Jesus, we need to be willing to show mercy. so let s make that idea our Main Point for today...let s see it! Disciples Of Jesus Show Mercy! Let s shout this with some motions. [7] The Teacher leads the children to make up cheerleader-type hand motions that go along with the Main Point. Once everyone has gone over the Main Point, have the children repeat it with the motions two or three times. Play the Drumroll and Winter Extreme Winner Song for the winning team. [8] Encourage all the children to participate. Award the winning team with a Winter Extreme Medallion. Since this is something that God shows to us and wants us to show to others, there s a Bible story about it! In the book of Matthew, Jesus told His disciples a parable about showing mercy. Let s watch. Play Bible Lesson Video. [9] Wow! showing mercy is a big deal to God! So it should be a big deal to us as well! (looks at watch) Well, normally I d say it s time to go watch Rock and Scooter in the next event, which is going to be a snowboard race. But not today, I m afraid. You see, Rock and Scooter haven t done so well in the competition so far this year. They ve only won one of the events and in the overall competition they are in last place. Unfortunately, this is the halfway point of the competition and every year the officials eliminate the team that is in last place. They kick them out of the competition! (sad) So... it looks like no more Rock and Scooter. (allows kids to respond) #7 #8 #9 I know, it s...(looks offstage) What!? Wait a moment, it looks like they re about to make some sort of announcement. Let s go check it out. Teacher exits. Play the Skit Video. [10] Teacher re-enters. #10 2 2016 Elevate

Scooter really needed some help with the idea of showing mercy to others. In fact, I bet he could have used a verse I know of, a verse I think we all could use... [11] Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12 (NLT) The Teacher leads the children with motions and then see which team can do the Bible Verse the best. Play the Drumroll and the Winter Extreme Winner Song for the winning team, and award the winning team with a Winter Extreme Medallion. [12] (CONT D) One of the most important things that God wants us to make part of our lives is the willingness to show mercy to others. Remember, God shows us mercy all the time. You see, there are all sorts of sins that we ve committed, and it would be fair for God to punish us for our sins by making us spend forever away from Him. But God sent His Son to die for our sins. And if we choose to follow Jesus, He forgives us of our sins and shows mercy by removing the consequences of those sins, the consequences being to spend eternity without Him! If God was willing to do that for us, then we should be willing to show mercy to others. Let s all stand and worship God for always being merciful with us. Let s sing. Teacher leads the children in singing Heartbeat. [13] Play the Drumroll and the Winter Extreme Winner Song for the winning team and award the winning team with a Winter Extreme Medallion. [14] (CONT D) That was some great singing. Now we re going to take up our offering. This is another way we worship God. This is a time to focus on everything God has blessed us with and done for us. Teacher leads the children in taking the Offering. [15] #11 #12 #13 #14 OFFERING (CONT D) It s time for Small Groups! But before we go, how about we have a little competition fun! It s time for our Team Game! [16] TEAM GAME - Frozen T-Shirt Watch the Teacher and Co-Teacher Training Video and see the Help Sheet to learn how the game is played. Play it with the teams and then play the Drumroll and Winter Extreme Winner Song for the winning team. Award the winning team with a Winter Extreme Medallion. [17] Okay, great job everyone! Now, let s get ready to head to our small groups where we ll be learning more about what it means to show mercy to the people in your life. We ll see you back in here later, and hopefully you ll be able to help us get Team Extreme down the mountain. TEAM GROUPS (SMALL GROUPS) [18] #15 #16 #17 #18 3 2016 Elevate

Okay, I sure hope you all paid attention because we need you to answer some questions. We need to Help Team Extreme! [19] WEEKLY REVIEW ACTIVITY - Help Team Extreme Teacher leads the children through the questions. Bring up a child from each team and have them compete to see who gets to answer. If they answer correctly, give them a Winter Extreme Medallion. #19 (CONT D) Thank you very much for your help. Team Extreme wouldn t have gotten very far without everybody s help. Don t forget our Main Point this week: Disciples of Jesus Show Mercy! See you next week! 4 2016 Elevate